Once upon a time there was a genie, of the type who comes out of magic lamps and makes wishes come true. Unfortunately, this particular genie was famous for botching things up. Whenever someone rubbed the magic lamp, he would come out and say, “What is your wish?” Then a great cloud of smoke would appear and hundreds of things would fly through the air. When people stated their wish the object of their desire would appear in a cloud of dirt, covered in dust.

So many, and so embarrassing were his botches that no one wanted him. His lamp ended up being used only to throw at people, just like a common old box; and the genie didn’t come out of it for years, and became sad and depressed.

That was, until a lonely boy found the lamp, and could hear the sad cries of the genie inside. So the boy decided to try to become the genie’s friend, and the wish he asked to be granted was to be able to enter and leave the lamp, just like the genie could, so they could spend time together. The genie was happy to grant this wish, and as soon as the boy entered the lamp, he could see what the genie’s problem was. It wasn’t that he was a bad genie. It was just that he couldn’t have been less tidy! In the lamp everything was thrown all over the place, whether it be jewelry, books, boats or camels.It was obvious that the place hadn’t seen a duster for years. Being a genie, he had all sorts of stuff in there, and as the lamp was small, everything was crammed in together that whenever the genie tried to get something, a cloud of dust would fly up.

The boy held his head in his hands, and the genie apologised, saying that a genie’s job was very important and he hadn’t had time for cleaning. But the boy remembered his mother’s advice, and told the genie that the more important his job was, the more important it was that he keep all his things in order. And together they decided to give the place a good clean.

It took them quite a few days, but when they finished, everything was gleaming and in its correct place. Now it was dead easy to find whatever gift was asked for, and to retrieve it without breaking anything.

And so it was that the genie began to be respected and admired once more. He learned that nothing great can be achieved without order and cleanliness in all things.

Broken Down into Syllables

Once u-pon a time there was a ge-nie, of the type who comes out of ma-gic lamps and makes wish-es come true. Un-for-tu-nate-ly, this par-tic-u-lar ge-nie was fa-mous for botch-ing things up. When-e-ver some-one rubbed the ma-gic lamp, he would come out and say, “What is your wish?” Then a great cloud of smoke would a-ppear and hun-dreds of things would fly through the air. When peo-ple sta-ted their wish the ob-ject of their de-si-re would a-ppear in a cloud of dirt, co-vered in dust.

So ma-ny, and so em-barr-a-ssing were his bot-ches that no one wan-ted him. His lamp en-ded up be-ing used on-ly to throw at peo-ple, just like a co-mmon old box; and the ge-nie did-n’t come out of it for years, and be-came sad and de-pressed.

That was, un-til a lone-ly boy found the lamp, and could hear the sad cries of the ge-nie in-side. So the boy de-ci-ded to try to be-come the ge-nie’s friend, and the wish he asked to be gran-ted was to be a-ble to en-ter and leave the lamp, just like the ge-nie could, so they could spend time to-ge-ther. The ge-nie was ha-ppy to grant this wish, and as soon as the boy en-tered the lamp, he could see what the ge-nie’s prob-lem was. It was-n’t that he was a bad ge-nie. It was just that he could-n’t have been less ti-dy! In the lamp ev-ery-thing was thrown all o-ver the place, whe-ther it be jewell-ery, books, boats or cam-els.It was ob-vi-ous that the place had-n’t seen a dus-ter for years. Be-ing a ge-nie, he had all sorts of stuff in there, and as the lamp was small, ev-ery-thing was crammed in to-geth-er that when-e-ver the ge-nie tried to get some-thing, a cloud of dust would fly up.

The boy held his head in his hands, and the ge-nie a-pol-o-gised, say-ing that a ge-nie’s job was ver-y im-por-tant and he had-n’t had time for clean-ing. But the boy re-mem-bered his mo-ther’s ad-vice, and told the ge-nie that the more im-por-tant his job was, the more im-por-tant it was that he keep all his things in or-der. And to-geth-er they de-ci-ded to give the place a good clean.

It took them quite a few days, but when they fi-nish-ed, ev-ery-thing was gleam-ing and in its corr-ect place. Now it was dead ea-sy to find what-ev-er gift was asked for, and to re-trieve it with-out break-ing an-y-thing.

And so it was that the ge-nie be-gan to be re-spec-ted and ad-mi-red once more. He learned that no-thing great can be a-chieved with-out or-der and clean-li-ness in all things.